I Can't Help Falling In Love With You
by heeeeeem
Summary: A multi-chapter Liper. I hope its believable and a good read. Its how the two go from being best friends to having a budding relationship. Please read and review. :D
1. Break Your Heart

**A/N: So this is my first multi-chapter story I hope its believable and a good read. This is Liper once again as I just love that ship. In this there isn't any Calypso as this focuses more on the Liper relationship. Based after Blood of Olympus. Please read, enjoy and review. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HoO or PJO**

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><p>Leo knew he shouldn't be listening into this conversation but he just couldn't pull himself away from the keyhole. Leo and Piper had spent the afternoon training in the arena before returning to the house that the seven Heroes of Olympus shared. The two of them had walked in and found Jason with two bags under his arms about to leave the room that he and Piper shared. Piper had immediately pushed Jason into the room and slammed the door in Leo's face. The seven had been back at camp for almost two months now in which time Chiron had seen to it that they had a place to stay and it had ended up being a two-story house with rooms for all of them and their hobbies as a way of thanks. The Romans had travelled back to Camp Jupiter for the autumn and everything had been as normal and as quiet as physically possible for a demigod. Until now…<p>

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><p><em>(inside the room)<em>

"What are you doing Jason?" Piper asked quietly. She already knew before he answered, he had been distant for a while ever since _**she**_ had left but she needed him to say it.

"I need her Pipes!" he said quietly.

"SAY HER NAME!" Piper screamed grabbing a vase off the side and lobbing at his head which he narrowly avoided.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down, Piper!" Jason said trying to calm the daughter of Aphrodite down but a bottle of perfume was also flung at him.

"SAY IT!" she screamed.

"Okay! It's Reyna!" Jason said giving out a huge sigh as he slid down their bed onto the floor. "She's been gone what a week? I can't stop thinking about her – I need to be with her."

Piper also slumped to the floor willing the tears not to come – she hated tears.

"Now listen to me baby-" Jason began.

"Don't call me baby!" Piper said through gritted teeth, her fists clenched by her side. "I'm not you're baby. How long have I not been you're baby Jason – a week, two, a month – I wonder if I was ever you're baby in the first place?"

"Hey!" Jason exclaimed getting to his feet and raising his voice. "I told you from the start, that if you fall for me I might not share those feelings! I can't help it if your love for me was based on false memories!"

Piper felt like she'd just been punched in the gut. Tears threatened to come spilling but she forced them back.

"Get out," she muttered quietly.

"Piper-" Jason began once again.

"GET OUT JASON!" she screamed jumping to her feet and swinging the door open causing Leo who had been leaning on it to come tumbling unceremoniously into the room.

"Piper, I told you not to fall for me! I told you I was only going to break your heart." Jason began trying to justify himself.

"Jason that's cold!" Leo said picking himself up off the floor and standing in front of Piper who had withdrawn and was staring out of the window. "I hope karma, or nemesis or someone gets you back this for being so cold. There's no point trying to evade it – you've broken her heart and now I think it is time for you to go, mate." Leo said his fingers tingling on top of his magical tool belt tapping out a tune warning Jason not to try anything.

Jason eyed Leo warily before picking up his bags and heading out the door. Leo watched as Jason walked across the lawn, past the big house - briefly stopping to see Chiron- and then up Camp Half-Blood Hill where he lost sight of him when he crossed the crest.

Leo turned back to where Piper was silently staring at a photo of her and Jason taken at one of the camp fires which was placed on the dressing table in the room.

"Has he gone?" she asked quietly as she turned the picture face down.

"Yes," Leo said as a flurry of chocolate-brown hair rushed towards him and buried her face in the crook of Leo's neck. The tears that had threatened finally came spilling.

"It'll be okay," he soothed trying to find the right words to make his best friend feel better. He moved her over to the bed where she curled up into a ball and sobbed into Leo's shirt until it became thick with tears.

Leo sat there hugging his best friend until the tears finally stopped and she drifted off to sleep. It had gone nine by the time Leo moved out from underneath her and pulled a blanket over her. Just before he left the room he turned and whispered:

"He told you he would break your heart…"

He walked down the stairs to the living room where the four other occupants were lounged about on the sofas. Leo crashed down on one of the sofas next to the burly figure of Frank.

"He's left her," he said.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry about making Jason out as a dick I just needed to break up him and Piper and cause some anguish in later chapters. I hope you've enjoyed it please review with any criticism or comments.**

**heeeeeem**


	2. Sweet Dreams

**A/N: Hello again for the second chapter of I Can't Help Falling in Love With You! This is my longest ever chapter that I've ever wrote probably because I can empathise a lot with Leo's character at the moment. I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HoO or PJO**

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><p>The Heroes of Olympus' house in Camp Half Blood was one of architectural beauty – a two-story house with Greek columns supporting balconies for the four bedrooms. Each room had been designed especially for the seven – Percy and Annabeth's was blue with a view of the beach on their balcony and a whole wall filled with a bookcase for Annabeth's research; Frank and Hazel's was simplistic with some Roman designs; Leo's was flame proof and had work tables for all of his projects; and Jason and Piper's had a view of the sunset each day and was full of photos of the two of them. That was probably why Piper hadn't wanted to sleep in the room. After a while of talking to Percy, Annabeth, Frank and Hazel, Leo had gone to bed. He stripped down to his boxers and got into bed. A hand suddenly crawled out and wrapped itself around Leo's body.<p>

"Ahhhhhh!" he screamed before rolling off the bed landing on the floor in a heap. He jumped to his feet and moved over and grabbed a piston that he had been working on.

"Jason?" Piper called as she sat up in the bed rubbing her eyes.

"Oh…" she said as her kaleidoscopic eyes fell on Leo gripping the piston in his hand like a club!

"Piper?" Leo asked, dropping the piston back onto a work bench. "What are you doing in my room? No, what are you doing in my bed?"

"Leo you're on fire…" She sighed before sliding back under the covers.

"Come on beauty queen, you're not winning that easily," he said crossing the room once again, patting the flames down and pulling on a shirt. Standing next to his bed once again, he pulled back the covers to reveal a stormy-faced Piper frowning up at him still in the clothes she was in when she had fallen asleep in her room.

"I dreamt of him. It was perfect – almost like a fairy tale. We were here, walking through the strawberry fields. I was walking on air – it felt so amazing. And then as we got to the end she stepped out of the end of the rows of canes. He let go of my hand and went and held hers. It just seemed so real and then I just wanted him to be there so I came up here to avoid the fact that he left me for her. I feel so guilty. I prayed to the gods for him to come back. I just couldn't wake up again without him." Tears threatened Piper once again but she furiously rubbed them away.

"Oh, Piper!" Leo exclaimed pulling her into a hug something he would never have done if she had still been with Jason.

"Why can't I forget about him Leo?" she muttered crossly with herself.

"He was a big part of your life – I know it'll be hard but this is your chance to start your life anew."

"I know he'll never love me – but I just want to have sweet dreams about him. Instead I should be hating him the whole night through-"

"It'll be alright," he hushed as he heard her voice crack and a tear splash against his shoulder. He rocked her to asleep once again but this time he didn't leave her.

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><p>"Leo…" a voice spoke out in his dreams that for once had been reasonably happy. "Leo…" once again it sounded, followed shortly by a knocking sound. Slowly he opened his eyes to see Percy's head peeking around his door with a confused look on his face.<p>

"You've got five minutes till breakfast," Percy said quickly before ducking his head back out the room. Leo waited for the steps to recede before he tried to get up. A grumbling sound was emitted from beside him and he was pulled back down. In the night Piper had slid down Leo and her head was snuggly fitted into the crook of Leo's neck. She was slowly stirring and muttering something about it being too early.

"Yo, beauty queen it's time for breakfast," Leo said gently shaking Piper fully awake.

"I'm not hungry!" she grumbled before trying to roll away and delve back under the covers.

"Nope, you're not doing that! Nu-uh!" Leo said grabbing her around her midriff, pulling her back and rolling over so she was forced to look at him.

"I don't know if I can do this, Leo," she said. "It feels like nothing matters at all anymore. Everyone will see that's he's not here and they'll know."

"You can get through this okay, Piper. You may be a daughter of Aphrodite but in spirit you're stronger than any of Ares of kids. _I won't leave you_," he stressed the truth.

"But I hurt so much inside…" she looked at him with her kaleidoscope eyes that somehow seemed bigger to Leo. "**Leave me alone, Leo**," she tried to charmspeak him.

However it didn't work on him, he knew that she didn't want to be alone really.

"Everybody hurts some days. It's okay to be afraid but don't ever feel alone. I'm here okay. Now come on!" he said standing up and holding out his hand for her. Piper looked up into his brown eyes that were filled with worry but also determination. She grasped his hand, swung her legs out of the bed and pulled herself up before giving him a big hug.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ear.

"Come on, I'm hungry," Leo said pulling on some jeans and slipping on his boots.

"You're always hungry!" she complained. They climbed down a flight of stairs from Leo's room that was in a sort of tower before heading down the corridor towards the main stairs. Piper hesitated outside her room.

"What's wrong beauty queen?" Leo asked.

"I need to change Leo." She pointed at the grubby clothes she had trained in the day before and then slept in.

"One sec," he said before darting down the stairs. A few seconds later he returned pulling along Annabeth. She stopped and gave her a fierce hug before stepping into Piper's room and returning shortly with some of Piper's clothes. Annabeth directed Piper over to her and Percy's room and ushering Leo down stairs.

Leo went and stood with Percy, Frank and Hazel in the entrance hall to their cabin.

"How's she doing?" Hazel asked clearly concerned for her friends' welfare.

"As well as you'd expect her to," Leo responded as Annabeth came down the stairs shortly followed by Piper who was now in a clean set of clothes and looked almost okay except for the slight redness to her eyes from all the crying she had done.

"Let's go get this over with," she said without smiling.

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><p><em>(At the Dining Pavilion)<em>

The six sat at a head table with Chiron and Mr D another show of their stature and importance in the camp. All the campers noticed Jason's seat and lack of presence. After burning her offerings, Piper had to walk back past the Aphrodite table to get back to her seat. As she passed, Drew Tanaka, she heard her sniggering.

"Where's Jason?" Drew asked already knowing the answer and attempting to get a rise out of Piper.

Piper turned back to her and shouted "He's gone! Okay!" as she let her tray and food clatter to the ground. She turned in anger and stormed back to the Heroes of Olympus' cabin.

Leo who had already got back to his seat saw all this and tried to stand up but Chiron laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Let her go, Leo, just this once. It won't help her if you go running after her," Chiron explained. "Go find her after breakfast."

Leo sat back down but continually gazed back at their cabin itching to get up and comfort his friend.

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><p><strong>AN: There you go another chapter. Please review with any comments.**

**heeeeeem**


	3. Let Him Go

**A/N: Hi again, here is the third instalment of this story. This one has taken the longest to write. It's more of a filler chapter and I don't really like it but that's not really down to me. Please read, review and hopefully enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't PJO or HoO**

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><p>As soon as breakfast was over, Leo made an excuse to go back to his cabin.<p>

"Piper," he called as he stepped over the threshold. There was no response and so he went searching through the house. As he climbed up to the first floor (**A/N: second floor if you're American**) he saw the door to what was Jason and Piper's room slightly ajar. Leo went in and saw Piper sitting on the edge of the bed wrapped in a hoodie that Jason had obviously forgotten and a picture of the two of them in her hands. Her eyes were dry as if she had run out of tears.

"You miss him don't you?" Leo asked quietly as he took a seat next to her on the bed.

"Of course, I do Leo. He was a huge part of my life. For gods sake we saved the world together!" she exclaimed. "I see him every time I close my eyes. I just want him back but at the same time I don't – he hurt me too much. I'm just so confused!"

"Come here, Pipes." Leo cooed as he opened up his arms for a hug. To his relief she collapsed into him putting down the picture and snuffling into the crook of Leo's neck. Leo held her while she calmed down. They sat there silently, both contempt to do just that.

"Come on," he said eventually.

"I don't want to, Leo. I can't face them yet."

"Who said anything about doing camp activities?" Leo said, with that lopsided grin on his face. He pulled her to her feet and led her down to their living room. It was a largish room that covered most of the ground floor except for a study for Annabeth and a workshop for the tools that the others had forbidden Leo to use in his room. In the living room, there were four large sofas and bean-bags around a large TV. In the one corner was a microwave oven and mini fridge.

Leo directed Piper to his couch before he rushed back upstairs. A few minutes later he came back down with a portable DVD player and a handful of DVD's.

"Where did you get it?" Piper asked him confused.

"I had to repair it after one of the Stroll brothers dropped it and then threw it away." Leo said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Chose a film." He said handing over the stack before leaping over the sofa to the microwave where he got put in some toffee popcorn and made two hot chocolates.

"LEO!" Piper shouted all of a sudden.

"What, Beauty queen?" Leo asked.

"This!" she said holding up a copy of _King of Sparta_. "Why do you have it?"

Leo grinned, tossing a piece of popcorn in his mouth before walking over with the drinks and the snacks. "To see your face when you found it!"

Piper narrowed her eyes and then grabbed a pillow before battering Leo over the head with it.

"-and it was totally worth it!" he said with a wink after the attacks had subsided.

Leo slid forward and put the DVD that Piper had chosen in -_Toy Story 3_- before sitting back and getting comfy in his corner. After a few seconds, Piper wiggled over and lifted up Leo's arm before sliding in underneath it and letting it drop. Leo looked bewildered down at her but didn't say anything when he saw the content look on her face – for the time being she was happy and she had forgotten about Jason.

The day passed by quickly; after Toy Story, the two of them watched _Cool Runnings_ and then _Spy_ _Kids_. Neither of them had gotten up for lunch even when Percy and Annabeth had come to check on them. They told them that the lessons that they were supposed to teach that day had been rearranged by Chiron. Neither Percy nor Annabeth said anything about Jason to Piper and smiled as they left.

As Leo tried to get up, as Spy Kids finished, to put _The Lego Movie_ on he realised Piper had fallen asleep on him after the rough night's sleep she had had. Leo watched her for a few minutes as she slept before sighing contently before lowering himself down till his head rested on the back of the sofa. He pulled a blanket off the side over both of them and slowly drifted off to sleep.

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><p><em>(Later that day)<em>

Leo woke up later that day just as his stomach started to protest about missing a meal. As soon as he stood up he realised that Piper had obviously stopped using him as a pillow as she was now stood up at the end of the room gazing longingly out of the window. As he walked up behind her he realised that she was staring into an Iris Message.

In the mist he saw Jason sitting on a picnic blanket in some garden overlooking New Rome. Next to him sat a girl with glossy black hair that Leo recognised as Reyna when she came to collect the Athena Parthenos from the Argo II. Piper hadn't said anything to them and was just staring into the mist watching the two chat with a mixture of anger and sorrow on her face.

"Piper?" Leo said quietly gently touching her on the arm.

She jumped swinging a hand through the vision just as Jason turned and saw them. She turned and glared at him for a second before breaking and sliding down the wall. Leo sat down next to her not saying anything as she slipped her hand into his and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled eventually.

"There's nothing to be sorry about Pipes," Leo said softly brushing a stray brand of hair out of her hair. "You two broke up yesterday. Staring at an iris message isn't going to bring him back though. If you really want him back, you've got to go and fight for him-"

"No!" Piper interrupted firmly, some of the fire returning to her eyes. "Me and Jason are through! He chose her over me and wasn't even planning on telling me. No we're never getting back together."

"Then why did you try and Iris message him?" Leo urged.

"It was an accident. I knocked over my water as I was looking out of the window and I was staring at the bottom of my glass a rainbow formed. I couldn't stop myself. I feel so stupid."

"You're not stupid, Pipes. You're amazing." Leo said looking at the daughter of Aphrodite next to him. "Love comes slow but it goes fast and it has only been a day so you've still got that empty feeling in your heart but one day I promise you'll meet the right guy for you."

Piper continued to stare bewildered at Leo wondering where all this advice was coming from but at that point Leo's stomach once again rumbled breaking the silence that had settled between the two of them.

"Come on," she said jumping to her feet and pulling up Leo after her. "I'm hungry lets go to dinner."

As they left and walked to the door, Piper turned and gave Leo a massive hug.

"Thank you," she whispered softly into the fabric of Leo's shirt.

"No problem, I'd do anything for you Pipes." Leo murmured barely audibly wrapping his arms around his best friend.

"I promise I'll let him go," Piper said eventually breaking away from the hug and leading Leo out of the house.

Leo sighed and closed the door saying softly: "Will you actually let him go?"

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><p><strong>AN: There you have it. I've currently got 16 more chapters planned but that may change and go up. Don't forget to review!**

**heeeeeem**


	4. Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart

**A/N: Hi guys, here is the fourth chapter. I feel much better about this chapter probably as I wish I could get this close to someone but anyway I hope you guys like it. **

**Many thanks to JSE6412, A the Invisible and TheDarkKnight1991 for reviewing. I meant to say that last time but I was in a rush to get the chapter out. Hopefully more of you will review soon.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HoO**

**Enjoy**

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><p>Dinner went without a hitch; Leo took Piper the long way back to the head table missing out the Aphrodite table until she was ready to face them. He held her hand under the table for most of the meal, squeezing it every time she tensed when someone laughed. In the middle of the meal, Chiron beckoned Piper over and whispered a few hushed words asking her to begin teaching her lessons again as he couldn't keep cancelling lessons for the campers. As Piper was about to protest he said that she would be excused from any optional activities and if she didn't want to go to the camp fire it was okay. Piper smiled and gave him a quick hug before returning to her seat and finding Leo's hand under the table again.<p>

After the meal and the announcements most of the campers headed off towards the camp fire including Leo. Piper grabbed him by the back of his shirt and he came tumbling along back to their house although he didn't question her actions and followed her quietly. Once again she curled up next to him on the sofa watching TV. They didn't talk much even until Percy, Annabeth, Frank and Hazel returned from the camp fire. They chatted aimlessly for an hour before Hazel yawned against Frank and they both excused themselves to go to bed. Percy and Annabeth followed soon after. Leo wasn't yet prepared to leave Piper by herself until she asked but he couldn't stop is eyes slowly closing.

"Stop it," he thought snapping his eyes open again. This happened a couple more time before Leo heard Piper giggle beside him. He looked down and realised she had been watching him.

"Come on," she said hopping to her feet and pulling Leo up with her. "It's past someone's bed time."

Leo muttered something incoherent but let the brown haired girl pull him along. She gave him a hug outside her door before pushing him along to the stairs up to Leo's tower room. He turned at the bottom of the stairs and realised Piper was still staring at the door to her room which was still unopened.

"Beauty queen?" Leo said as he walked back towards her again. She didn't respond. Leo realised that she was staring at the emblem that was painted on the door. It depicted a heart with a lightning bolt across it; underneath was her and Jason's name painted in gold.

"I can't do it, Leo." She said all of a sudden, turning to look at him. "Looking at this now, I can just see him lying on the bed with those big blue eyes. I can't sleep in their just yet, Leo. Have you tried sleeping with a broken? Try sleeping with a broken heart _in_ the room which you used to share with the person who broke your heart!" Once again tears overwhelmed her and her shoulders shook.

"It's okay, Pipes," Leo soothed leaning forwards and wrapping his arms around her skinny midriff pulling her into hug. "Come on, you can sleep in Leo's lair tonight if you want? Let's grab some stuff for you first though because I'm sure you don't want to sleep in those." He gently led her into the room by her hand squeezing it every few seconds. After a few paces she over took him and pulled out some pyjamas and clothes for the next day before leaving the room again.

"You head up; I'll be there in a second." Leo urged her up the stairs before walking back down the hall to the door that had an emblem of an owl clutching a trident emblazed on the door, and he gently knocked. "Yo, Percy can I ask you a big favour." Leo whispered to the door.

A few seconds later, the door opened and Percy opened the door and poked his head out to look at Leo.

"Do you think I could borrow some of your pyjamas? I'd wear boxers normally but I don't think that would be quite right tonight…" Leo said red faced watching the stupid grin spread across Percy's face.

"I could …" he began before he was slapped on the head as Annabeth popped out in some owl patterned pyjamas holding a pair of sea green pyjamas.

"Here you go," she smiled politely with a glint in her eye before she dragged Percy back into the room by the ear. Before the door shut he just caught Percy winking at him. Leo smiled to himself and headed up to his room. Piper was already in some pyjamas and was sitting awkwardly on the edge of Leo's bed.

"I'm going to find a way to make it without him, Leo. I promise. Just be patient, please." She said turning to face him, a world of worry covering her face.

"I will be, Pipes. You're my best friend and we'll get through this together." He said ruffling her hair as he passed her going to the en-suite. Once he'd changed, he cleaned his teeth and then put his tooth brush down next to the pink one, side by side. He smiled contently before heading back out to Piper. She had finally climbed into the bed and was watching him from underneath the covers. He walked around past her and grabbed a pillow off his side and a blanket out of the chest at the bottom of his bed and went to lie down on the floor next to her side of the bed.

Piper's hand shot out as he passed and grabbed his arm.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"I'm sleeping on the floor." Leo said as he moved some random engine parts underneath the bed and out of his way.

"I'm kicking you out of your bed, Leo. It's fine, I promise."

Leo picked up his pillow again and climbed into bed. As soon as he had lay down and turned off the lights Piper rolled over and cuddled up to his arm. Leo loosely put his arm around her and Piper seemed content to sleep like that.

Leo gazed up at the ceiling of his room thinking over the events of the previous days when Piper spoke up:

"I think I've found a way to make it without him tonight."

Leo smiled and closed his eyes.

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><p><strong>AN: So I hope you guys enjoyed reading that as I enjoyed writing it as much as it depressed me about my lack of love life.**

**Please review and follow.**

**heeeeeem**

**P/S ITS ALMOST CHRISTMAS!**


	5. Me and My Broken Heart

**A/N: Hi guys, so this is the fifth chapter. I think I've got everything across that I want to. I hope you like it. Please review.**

**Thanks to A the Invisible for reviewing again and also to a Guest for reviewing as well.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO, HoO or Toy Story (mentioned in this).**

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><p>Leo's eyes fluttered open. Sunlight was streaming in through a crack in the curtains and it illuminated the room around him. A warm body was pressed against him and Leo smiled as he snuggled closer to it.<p>

"_Wait_" Leo thought as he slowly opened his eyes to look at what he was snuggling up to. Curled up against him was the ever beautiful Piper. Her eyes were closed and she breathed deeply. It was a Saturday and lessons didn't start till 10 so Leo decided to lie back down and let her sleep.

Within the night to two of them had moved very close and Leo's arms were wrapped around her – the one pinned underneath her was placed on her stomach underneath the daughter of Aphrodite's pyjama top. Leo gulped as he realised how close they were especially as Piper's one leg had wrapped itself around Leo's.

Leo sighed and got comfy. It wasn't that he didn't like the feeling of her body pressed against him. It was just the fact that she was his best friend and he didn't know the limits of their relationship.

Leo lay contently for a while watching the dust spiral in the light until he realised Piper's breathing had subtly changed.

"You awake, Pipes?"

"Yeah," she said quietly.

They lay there in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Piper began getting up. She stopped when she realised Leo's hand was still resting on the smooth of her stomach. She turned to look at him and smiled as she took his hand and gave it a squeeze before moving it and getting up to go in the bathroom.

When she came out Leo had rolled over and watched as she moved around the room.

"Would you mind if I bring some more clothes up here?" she asked as she found a hair bobble for her hair.

"No, that's fine. What's mine is yours for as long as you need!" Leo said as he swung his legs out of the bed and headed into the bathroom with some clean clothes to give Piper some privacy. When he came out she was already dressed and the two headed downstairs to meet up with the other occupants of the house which were waiting for the call to breakfast. They chatted aimlessly in the living room until it was time to head over to the dining pavilion. When the conch horn sounded the six walked over to the head table and took their seats next to Chiron who was already there.

As breakfast finished the campers headed off in various directions to go to their classes. Leo hung back as the other campers left wanting to make sure Piper would be okay.

"I'll be fine, Leo." She said before he could open his mouth. "My life was falling apart, I've been losing control. He lied, to make it easier for himself and I hate what he's done but I can't just sit around moping all day. You've put up with me and my broken heart for long enough – its time it gets kick started again. Now go." She finished pushing him away to a group of younger demigods. Leo smiled as he walked away as he heard her shouting for her class all the hate and hurt gone from her voice. He knew she was going to be okay.

"Right…" Leo said clapping his hands together leading his class towards the amphitheatre eager to begin his lesson.

"I want to introduce you to one of my best friends today." Leo began after they were all seated. "I present to you, Festus."

And with that all 50 tons of Festus landed inside the arena, his ruby eyes glowing. He tilted back his head and shot of tongue of flame into the air.

The audience let out a collective "wow".

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><p><em>(Later that day)<em>

For once, the six remaining heroes were in the same place. After the camp fire they had all come back to the house and were currently curled on their sofas watching the _Toy Story 3_. They had just reached the part where all the toys were on the conveyor belt about to die and all the girls in the room were blinking back tears **(A/N: if you haven't seen it, it's a sad part of the movie)**. It was alright for Annabeth and Hazel as they had Percy and Frank respectively but Piper was all alone on her sofa. Leo's heart was almost wrenched out as he saw her watching the other couples, her face showing the pain inside.

With that, Leo got up and went and collapsed on the sofa next to her.

"You okay, Beauty Queen?" Leo asked quietly.

"Hold me," was all she could get out. Leo opened up his arms and she slid into his grasp and pulled him even tighter.

Leo smiled, knowing that he would be there for her tonight and for the rest of the nights. He saw Percy watching him and winking at him with his stupid grin on his face until Annabeth also saw and elbowed him in the ribs making Percy burst out in laughter before a hand was also clamped across his mouth also by Annabeth and he fell silent.

When the film finished, they headed their separate ways and Piper followed Leo upstairs to his room. Leo noticed a few more of Pipers' clothes had made their way up there but he didn't care.

"I'll be fine; I just need a little love and comfort in my life to fix my broken heart." She said as she climbed into bed.

"I don't mind, Pipes." Leo said as he closed the curtains and closed in next to her. Immediately, Piper curled up against the warmth of his body and he wrapped his arms around her petite frame. He smiled over her shoulders at his place in the whole thing.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you guys like it. Should be the same time next week but it might be a day late as my sisters having an operation but stay tuned for more**

**heeeeeem**


	6. DJ Got Us Falling in Love

**A/N: Sorry this is almost a week late but a lot of stuff was going on with my family last week and so I didn't find opportunity for it but here it is now. The beginnings of Liper are appearing.I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HoO.**

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><p>Piper was sat at a table with Annabeth watching the son of Hephaestus talking to the DJ of the party, Percy. It was the last weekend before the new-year and the party had been set up for the Greek demigods and some of the Roman demigods who had some over from Camp Jupiter for the holiday season. To Piper's relief both Jason and Reyna had stayed at Camp Jupiter but sadly Frank, Hazel and Nico had headed over to the other camp. Piper's eyes scanned the room watching the groups of Greeks, Romans, Satyrs, Dryads and other creatures enjoying themselves.<p>

Almost immediately, her gaze returned to the two lads behind the DJ equipment. She rolled her eyes as she saw the two of them laugh and Leo scurry to the microphone. She smiled and was glad that Leo had managed to persuade her to come even if he had pestered her since he had heard about it.

As the previous song finished and the next one began there was a collective groan from all the females in the audience.

"Hey ladies," Leo piped up from the microphone, "Who wants a dance?"

The 'ladies' were quiet, the lyrics just starting…

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><p>(<em>Earlier that day…<em>)

"No Leo, for the last time I'm not going," Piper said to the hyperactive Leo who had come once again to talk to her in between lessons. Ever since Leo had heard about this party he had been constanstly bugging her to make her go.

"But why?" he whined. "It'll be fun. You need to go to these things eventually, get that body rocking from side to side. You haven't been to something like this since _it_ happened."

Piper sighed, knowing Leo was right. She looked into his eyes as he watched her trying to read the emotions of her face.

"I'll decide later," she said at last.

"No, you won't!" Leo said stepping forward and tickling her. Piper squealed before she began fighting back trying to get at his ribs. They scuffled for a few seconds before fell into a heap on the floor where they rolled about. Eventually Leo ended up on top pinning Piper's hands above her head as he looked down at her.

Somebody cleared their throat; their two heads immediately up turning them to see who had approached. At the entrance to the arena was a group of young, timid looking demigods waiting for their sword fighting class with Piper to begin. Pipers face went red as Leo turned back to look at her. He seemed content not to move.

"I'll sit here all day if you don't promise to come to the party and then Chiron will be all down your neck when you haven't taught your lessons."

"Fine," Piper grumbled incoherently.

"What was that, I didn't hear you?" Leo said with a grin.

"I'll come, Leo."

With that Leo rolled off her, stood up and then offered her hand to get up. She ignored and stood up before punching Leo on the arm, although secretly she was glad that he had finally persuaded her. She pushed him out the arena, making sure he had left before she turned back to her class and started the class.

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><p>(<em>Later that day<em>)

Piper sat in the room that she still shared with Leo, he didn't mind. Over a few weeks after the break up Piper had eventually moved all of her stuff into Leo's room and Leo had made space for a dressing table for her. He had bought more pyjamas out of courtesy for Piper and so that he could stop borrowing from Percy. On one of the days Leo had engraved Pipers name into his door next to his own and he had sanded down the two names and the emblems off her old room which was now empty.

It hadn't taken Piper long to get over the zombie feeling after her break up and she didn't hurt whenever anybody mentioned him. She still cringed when she saw other couples enjoying each other's company but she was happy for the time being and she knew the right person would come tumbling into her life.

"Piper, you ready yet?" Leo called up from down stairs where he waited with Percy and Annabeth. Piper grabbed her purse and headed off to join the others.

(_Present time, at the party_)

Leo looked defeated as the couples entered the dance floor and he was left stood in the middle. He had asked Percy to put on the song _Hero_ by Enrique Iglesias as he had at every one of the parties since coming back as one of the Heroes of Olympus. Some of the girls had thought it was cute to start off with and he had even had a couple of daces with some of the Aphrodite girls but eventually the act had worn thin and he now looked like the single loner in the middle of the floor. To his left Percy and Annabeth were dancing alongside Grover and Juniper. Travis and Katie were holding each other and swaying to the sound of the music to his right next to Tyson and Ella which were doing something that Leo could only assume was dancing.

Leo sighed and was about to walk off when somebody tapped him on the shoulder:

"May I have this dance, flames?" Piper said with her only devilish grin.

"Ermmm…" Leo said incoherently - his lips moving but no sound coming out.

"Come on," she said taking his hand and leading him to an empty space on the dance floor, Leo having no control of his own movements. They stopped in a reasonable quiet space seeing that all the couples present were now up on their feet dancing with each other. Leo's eyes drifted up and down Piper's body taking in the glamorous red dress that came to just above the knees and the plait of hair that fell down the side of her face. He hadn't had time to take it all in when she had eventually come down stairs as they were almost late but now he got to see her in all her glory.

"Come on, Leo stop gawking and put your arms around me." She said as she took a step towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Leo clasped his own around the back of her. They swayed in time to the music as Leo murmured the words into her ear without realising. He couldn't believe how perfectly their bodies fitted together. After that song finished, Piper didn't sit down and she danced the rest of the night with Leo, laughing at his singing skills and his dance moves that were the same for all the songs. Piper couldn't imagine life without him.

Everyone groaned when Chiron came on and announced that it was the end of the party. Piper suddenly realised how tired she was and leant heavily on Leo who was stood next to her. The next second she was laughing and swinging about as he scooped her up and carried her bridal style back to their house. Percy and Annabeth caught up a few seconds later with Percy complaining that Leo was just showing off.

That night after everyone went to sleep Leo lay there gently caressing Piper who lay there in his arms who was slowly drifting off to sleep. Leo didn't think any other best friends were like this as he held his own very close to his chest and his beating heart. He realised that the DJ aka Percy had inadvertently got him falling in love with Piper. The butterflies in his stomach were an indication to that as Piper snuggled closer to his body warmth.

"Uh oh," Leo thought.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed it please review and follow. The next chapter should be about the same time next week I hope.**


	7. Who needs love?

**A/n: Sorry its late but I've been so busy over the holidays. Uploads will probably be on Thursdays now. Hope you enjoy.**

**Thanks to JSE6412,krystall97 and a guest for reviewing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HoO**

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><p>Leo could see it now: him walking down the beach holding her hand; them sharing a picnic basket of food; sat at night cuddling up to watch the films; and the kisses. Leo could happily imagine himself getting together with the beautiful daughter of Aphrodite sat next to him talking to him about something or other. Once again Leo had got distracted by her lips, her kaleidoscopic eyes, her brown hair that seemed to turn golden in the first rays of light.<p>

"Leo," Piper snapped her fingers in front of her face. "You weren't listening again!"

"Yeah, I totally was!" Leo said. "You said you were going to be archery this afternoon." He finished by poking his tongue out.

Piper raised her eyebrows before poking hers out and turning to Annabeth to talk to her about something.

It had been a month since the party and the reunited six were sat in the dining pavilion on a cool January morning. Leo's feelings for his best friend hadn't died down like he wanted them to but had instead increased to the point where Leo couldn't cope. His feelings had opened up his eyes to all the little things that Piper did – and he loved all of them. Leo was tired of the secret that had now crept up between them and he had begun to realise how much he relied on Piper to talk to and he now cherished every moment he had with her and thought about her in the remaining time.

"Piper, you ready?" The words broke Leo out of his reverie as he turned to face the new comer to the table. It was a random Roman demigod that had stayed behind at Camp Half Blood. From the tattoo on his arm he saw that he was a son of Apollo. Leo wasn't impressed but he turned to see Piper who was completely taken in by the looks and the muscles. Leo snorted before getting up and heading over to the forest where he was hoping on finding Festus.

Leo blew his safety whistle from his belt when he entered a clearing before taking a seat on a rock. Within a few seconds, a dark blur came spiralling down from the sky and landed in the centre of the clearing. Leo walked over and rubbed his nose.

"Who needs love anyway, Festus? Not I; all we need is some motor oil and something to fix and we'd be happy for life." Knowing this wasn't true, Leo climbed onto Festus' back and Festus climbed up into the sky.

The rhythmic movement of Festus' wings and the low drone soon caused Leo to drift off to sleep. In his sleep Leo began dreaming of a beautiful woman walking towards him across the cliff top of the Grand Canyon.

"Piper?" Leo asked bewildered when he saw the short, choppy, brown hair and the multi-coloured eyes.

The woman laughed. "So that is your perception of beauty? My daughter has caught the eye of someone special here."

"Aphrodite?" Leo asked again. "Whatever it is I'm not doing it yet – come back in a year or two when we've all had a rest."

Once again Aphrodite laughed.

"It's not what you can do for me, it's what I can do for you…"

With that Leo began tried pinching himself on the arm to no avail.

"You're not leaving yet Mr Valdez, we need to talk. Here take a seat." She said with a wave of her arms and one of those love couches appeared beside them. Gingerly he sat on the one end furthest away from the goddess.

"I heard you earlier, Leo. You said 'Who needs love?'. I'm here to tell you that everyone needs love. Love is like an energy, it surrounds us and entwines us. Yes, you have been lacking in the love given to you but that doesn't mean you should turn away from it."

She tapped her slender finger on his chest and he felt a surge of emotions course through his body.

"You see now the strength of love. It can make people do incredible things. Yes love can lead to pain but you will not feel that pain in the current future that has been laid out for you."

Leo looked confused and was about to argue.

"You fancy my daughter very much, darling. I can see it within your heart. Even now you're thinking about her."

"That's because you're talking about her," smiled Leo mischievously.

A flash of anger passed across Aphrodite's face before it was gone again.

"Fine then! I have felt your love for my daughter ever since, Jason left her and you were there to comfort her. To begin with that may have just been the connection between two best friends but I know it has become more than that." Aphrodite smiled triumphantly when she saw Leo's understanding.

"I have broken enough people's hearts and it's time to begin making some amends. However next time you see her with another male remember this conversation. Now, you must accept your feelings for Piper and eventually tell her. She will not judge you for your feelings and if she doesn't feel the same your friendship won't suffer it will only grow stronger. But you must find out how she feels!"

"Any hints for how she might feel beforehand?" Leo said with the best smile he could muster.

"Good bye Leo," she said before snapping her fingers.

And then Leo was falling - falling through the clouds towards Camp Half- Blood. Above him he heard Festus roar in anger before swoop down after him.

Leo knew Festus wasn't going to reach him and he braced for impact – surely Aphrodite wouldn't kill him after that.

300 ft. 200 ft. 100…

All of a sudden birds were grasping at his shoulders and his clothes pulling him up and slowing his decent until they stopped. The pure white birds then carried him down towards the ground before dropping him at 30m.

He landed with a thump and groaned in pain.

"Leo!" a girl screamed his name before he was surrounded by anxious campers checking to see if he was okay. Piper pushed through the crowd before falling to his knees beside his head.

"Are you okay?" she asked before cradling his head in her lap.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said getting comfier in her lap. He heard Festus land nearby with a roar making some campers turn white.

"Were those doves, Leo?" Piper asked.

"Urmmm… yeah. I just have that way with animals I guess."

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed. Stay tuned.<strong>


	8. Open Your Eyes

**A/N Chapter 8 **

**Please review**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HoO or PJO**

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><p>"Silence!" Chiron roared across the dining pavilion, banging his hoof down on the floor. "Tonight, Capture the Flag!"<p>

A wave of applause, yelling and overall exuberance hit the head table like a wave.

"Go prepare and wait at the edge of the forest at your ends. The game will start in 1 hour on the sound of the conch. You may leave!"

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><p>It was the Friday after Leo's unceremonious crash to the floor. So far he had been able to skirt over the dove thing but Piper still looked at him with a wary look in her eye whenever she considered it. The bruises on Leo's ribs had gone with some Ambrosia and Leo was raring to go.<p>

The current allegiances pitted Percy, Leo and Frank against Annabeth, Piper and Hazel. On the one team were the children of Poseidon, Hephaestus, Ares, Dionysus, Apollo, Hypnos, Nemesis, Hebe and Tyche; on the other the children of Athena, Aphrodite, Hades, Hermes, Hecate, Demeter, Iris and Nike.

The previous three games had been won by Annabeth's team but this time Percy was convinced that they would win is logic being that they would get lucky at some point.

"Ready to get your arse handed to you, Leo?" Piper asked him trying to act macho.

"We'll see about that…" Leo retorted summoning his massive war hammer. Since the Heroes of Olympus had returned the Aphrodite cabin had become a worthy opponent with Piper coaching many of them and a number of them scurried off after Piper as she headed back to her teams encampment.

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><p>Leo's nerves tensed as he watched Chiron approach their side of the forest the conch horn hanging off his hip. He consulted Grover who was trotting alongside him and then reached down and brought the horn up to his lips and blew. War cries sounded from both sides as both teams charged at each other.<p>

Leo was part of the centre charge on his team which was spear headed by Tyson who barrelled into the enemy followed closely by Clarisse and Frank and the majority of the Ares cabin and also by Leo with the Hephaestus cabin and the minor cabins. Percy was taking a wide swing around the forest with the Apollo cabin and on the other side a charge with some of the Ares cabin was led by Pollux in an attempt to get Dionysus to favour them.

100 metres before the main forces clashed a number of campers on Leo's side were whisked into the air as they tripped some of the Hermes traps. Clarisse herself was swinging upside down from one leg as she tried to reach up in full armour to cut herself down. As Leo ran past he lobbed a Stanley Knife he pulled from his tool belt at the rope holding her up. It cut the rope with pinpoint accuracy and she fell before coming up rolling.

Leo fought on for what seemed like years, smashing campers' toes or hitting them in the chest with his massive hammer. All of a sudden three short blasts were sounded from the conch horn meaning an immediate pause in the battle. Both sides took a few paces back from each other before sheathing their weapons. Chiron came riding through the forest and pulled Leo up onto his back as he passed. Leo held on for dear life as they jumped over the creek and other obstacles before nearing the opposite teams camp. They stopped next to a circle of campers who were surrounding something.

"Let me through!" Chiron's voice cleared a path through and before he knew it Leo was knelt at the side of an unconscious camper whose helmet had been dented in. Leo noticed a necklace around her neck and a shiny dagger at her hip that he knew was Katropis and he sobbed in anger before confronting the campers around him.

"Who did this to her?" he screeched grabbing the closest camper to him by the straps of his armour.

"Enough Leo!" Chiron spoke. "Get her to the infirmary and remove that helmet from her head. You must hurry if you want a chance to have the Piper you knew back."

Leo's hands released the poor camper before an unknown force whisked him alongside the stretcher grasping the lifeless hand of Piper. As they left the immediate area he heard the conch horn sound again and the crashes of the fighting began again.

When they reached the infirmary Leo began work cutting the helmet off her head with some metal cutters. Everything felt strange and untrue to him and when the work was done he gently lifted it off her head before eyeing the beautiful girl who lay still on the bed; the movement of her chest the only proof that she was still living. One of the satyrs who had helped carry her here cleaned the wound on her head that had bled a little before he left them alone. Leo fed his best friend some ambrosia before he got comfy himself stoking some loose stands of hair behind her ear.

Leo's bones began to ache after the onslaught that he had received and all the small cuts and slices on his began to tingle. He felt cold and alone in the empty infirmary with just a silent Piper to keep him company.

He took her hand again and laced his fingers through her hand. He sat here for almost an hour staring at her willing her to wake up. Anger swelled up inside his gut as he realised he had never told Piper how he felt. H

"Piper, I've got to tell you something." Leo said bowing his head down to rest on their entwined hands. "The other day when I fell from the sky, I spoke to your mum and she helped me understand that I've got feelings for you that go way beyond just best friends. What I'm trying to say Piper is that I need you to open your eyes. Tell me you'll open your eyes so that you can look into mine and see that when I say this I mean it from the bottom of my heart: I love you Piper McLean. Now please open your eyes." He looked up at this and surveyed the girl in front of him. There was no recognition of her hearing. He broke down and wept for his best friend, tears splashing onto their clasped hands.

"Leo?" His head shot up immediately and his face broke out into a grin as he saw that she had woken up at last.

"Hey sleepy head," Leo said from behind the tears.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed**

**Please Review**

**heeeeeem**


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